


A New Start

by vix_spes



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Jedi Apprentice Series - Jude Watson & Dave Wolverton
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, New Years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2016-12-29
Packaged: 2018-09-13 03:11:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9104161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_spes/pseuds/vix_spes
Summary: The approach of Fete Week on Coruscant gives Qui-Gon the opportunity to try to mend his relationship with Obi-Wan.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Pers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pers/gifts).



> This was written for Pers for Christmas and clearly all great minds think alike because, without either of us knowing, she wrote a similar fic for me as a Christmas gift! Anyway, merry Christmas!

Qui-Gon couldn’t help the loud sigh that escaped him as Obi-Wan all but tip-toed into the room, picked up his padd and then skittered back to his bedroom like a terrified animal the instant that he saw Qui-Gon sat there. Things had been like this for months and Qui-Gon had no idea how to bridge the gulf that had sprung up between them. He knew that they hadn’t got off to the most auspicious start on Bandomeer but he had thought that things between them were improving. Of course, then Melida/Daan had happened and Obi-Wan had reverted to doing his very best impersonation of a biddable shadow, barely uttering a word.  
  
Qui-Gon hated it.  
  
He was well-aware that it was entirely his fault that they hadn’t had the most auspicious of starts, that he had been unable to leave his history with Xanatos in the past where it belonged and that his new padawan had suffered as a result. He had tried to make more of an effort with Obi-Wan once they returned but, looking back, he could see that it had been half-hearted at best. No longer. Obi-Wan deserved nothing less than Qui-Gon’s full focus and that was exactly what Qui-Gon was determined to give him.  
  
He just wasn’t entirely sure how to do it. There was no doubt that Obi-Wan was strong in the Force – if Qui-Gon focused, then Obi-Wan’s Force presence was all but blinding – and, with the right training, he would one day make a superb Jedi Knight. He was diligent and hardworking with his Academy studies and, for his age, was a brilliant swordsman. As a padawan, Obi-Wan was a gift, there were no two ways about it. The problem was, Qui-Gon didn’t want a perfect padawan. He had thought that that was what he wanted. He had got too close to Xanatos so this time he would just teach his padawan and that would be the extent of their relationship. However, once he had Obi-Wan, that wasn’t enough. Qui-Gon would watch other master-padawan teams around the temple with more than a little jealousy that had resulted in plenty of hours of meditation, wanting what they had.  
  
The problem that Qui-Gon found was that, although he had resolved to change the relationship between he and his padawan, he wasn’t actually sure how to go about it. He tried offering Obi-Wan extra lessons which the teen accepted but there was no change in the dynamic between them; all Obi-Wan seemed to want was the knowledge that Qui-Gon could impart. Qui-Gon tried shared meditations but Obi-Wan’s shields were impressive for a padawan of his age and training, almost as good as Xanatos’ had been (although Qui-Gon forced himself to not think too much about that). At his wits end, Qui-Gon was on the verge of going to Master Yoda for advice when an old friend who had nothing to do with the temple came up with what could be the solution to all Qui-Gon’s problems.

  
~*~

  
“Master? Where are we going?” Obi-Wan didn’t know which way to look, there was just so much to see. Instead, he had to settle for following closely on Qui-Gon’s heels so that he didn’t get lost and darting sneaky glances in each direction.  
  
Fete week was one of the most important fixtures on the Coruscanti calendar and appeared three times throughout the year. There was the Festival of Life, the Festival of Stars and then this one, the New Year Fete Week. Obi-Wan had heard about it plenty of times over the years, had even watched bits of it from the Jedi Temple but he’d never actually been part of it, been able to visit it. Now, he was in the thick of it with his master and he was utterly bewildered why this was happening.  
  
“We’re going to meet a friend of mine. He has a diner on one of the lower levels usually but for Fete Week he sets up a stall to take advantage of the crowds.”  
  
Obi-Wan nodded but didn’t respond, too busy trying to process what was going on. He had spent so long at the start of his apprenticeship trying to get Qui-Gon to like him but nothing he did had broken the shell around Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had resigned himself to the fact that he would never have the same sort of relationship with Qui-Gon that his friends and peers had with their masters. And then of course Melida/Daan had happened and Obi-Wan was just so pathetically grateful that Qui-Gon had agreed to stay his master that he would have happily accepted any sort of relationship.  
  
Qui-Gon had been acting rather strangely recently, as though he actually wanted to spend time with Obi-Wan and the padawan wasn’t completely sure how to react. He’d asked Bant for her advice and she’d told him to stop being stupid and take what Qui-Gon was offering because it was what Obi-Wan had so desperately wanted from the start. Obi-Wan could see what she was saying and he wanted to so badly but he couldn’t help but be scared that he was setting himself up for more heartbreak.

  
(~*~)

  
Several hours later, Obi-Wan was feeling the most relaxed that he had ever been in his master’s presence. He wasn’t entirely sure what he had expected of his master’s friend but a Besalisk hadn’t been on his list. Despite how busy the stall was, Dex had served them himself and regaled Obi-Wan with stories of his master, many of which Qui-Gon had joined in with. Obi-Wan had openly gaped at his master laughing and joking, not at all the stern façade that Obi-Wan was accustomed to.  
  
After they left Dex, Qui-Gon had allowed Obi-Wan to decide what they would do for the remainder of the afternoon and so they had wandered the streets of Coruscant, browsing the stalls and watching the street performers. It was only once they were back at the temple waiting for the fireworks to start, standing on one of the balconies reserved for Masters for the best view, that Qui-Gon grew serious once more.  
  
“Obi-Wan, I believe that you and I need to talk. Or rather I need to talk. I need to apologise to you, Obi-Wan.”  
  
“Apologise? To me, Master?” Now Obi-Wan was even more confused.  
  
“Yes, Obi-Wan. I need to apologise to you. I am truly sorry for the way that I’ve treated you ever since I took you on as my padawan. You deserved far better, you do deserve better. My own fears and worries held me back, blinded me to you. I can only apologise and promise you that things are going to get better, if you’ll let me.”  
  
The firework display had started but Obi-Wan was oblivious; he was still in shock over his master’s words. Qui-Gon had apologised to him and had said that he wanted things to change between them.  
  
“Well, Obi-Wan? Will you let me try to make amends? A new start for us both, what do you say to that?”  
  
Obi-Wan was suddenly finding it hard to speak around the lump in his throat and his eyes were stinging with tears. He was being offered everything that he had ever wanted and he couldn’t quite believe it. He could see that Qui-Gon was staring at him, waiting for an answer, and swallowed heavily several times, finally able to croak out his answer. “Yes master, I’d like that.”  
  
He smiled at the relieved grin that spread across his master’s face, a reciprocal smile crossing his own. “Good. Then a new start it is.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you would prefer to comment on LJ, you can do so [here](http://vix-spes.livejournal.com/263057.html)


End file.
